By Staff Writer
The national football team, the Uganda Cranes along with number one goalie Dennis Masinde Onyango plus head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic have all been nominated for the 2016 Glo – CAF Awards.
The Cranes were nominated for the team of the year accolade alongside 2016 CHAN winners DR Congo, Senegal, Nigeria U-23 and Guinea Bissau as some of the best teams in 2016.
Uganda’s qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals due January 2017 in Gabon after nearly four decades and the fact that they currently stand second in Group E of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers is what warranted for their nomination.
On the other hand, Cranes coach Micho was also nominated for coach of the year award on a list of five. The other nominees include; DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge, Mamelodi Sundowns Pitso Mosimane, Mo Bejaia head coach Nacer Sandjak and Florence Omagbemi, head coach to Nigeria’s women national team.
Dennis Onyango was nominated among the best African based players of the year.
The winners of the respective categories will be announced at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala that is slated for Thursday, January 5, 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria.
How winners will be determined: The winners will be decided by votes from the CAF Technical & Development, Media Committees and a panel of 20 experts (Journalists, TV consultants) except Fair Play, Legend and Platinum awards, which are not subject to vote.
For this year, there will be no votes for the Youth National Team of the Year while the winner for the referee of the year category will be determined only by the CAF Referees Committee.
National Team of the Year DR Congo Guinea Bissau Nigeria U-23 Senegal Uganda
Coach of the Year Florent Ibenge (DR Congo) Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic (Uganda) Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns) Nacer Sandjak (MO Bejaia) Florence Omagbemi (Nigeria women’s national team)
African Player of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City) Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma) Islam Slimani (Algeria & Leicester City)
African Player of the Year (Based in Africa), Khama Billiat (Mamelodi Sundowns & Zimbabwe) Keegan Dolly (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa) Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe & Zambia) Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa) Denis Onyango (Mamelodi Sundowns & Uganda)
Women’s Player of the Year Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies) Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Kvarnsvedensik) Gabrielle ABOUDI ONGUENE (Cameroon & Rossiyanka) Janine VAN WYK (South Africa & JVW) Raissa FEUDJIO TCHUANYO (Cameroon & Aland United)
Most Promising Talent Elia MESCHAK (DR Congo & TP Mazembe) Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City) Naby KEITA (Guinea & RB Leipzig) Oghenekaro ETEBO (Nigeria & CD Feirense) Ramadan SOBHI (Egypt & Stoke City)
Youth Player of the Year Alex IWOBI (Nigeria & Arsenal) Eric AYIAH (Ghana U-17) Franck KESSIE (Cote d’Ivoire & Atalanta) Sandra OWUSU-ANSAH (Ghana & Supreme Ladies) Sidiki MAIGA (Mali U-20)
Referee of the Year Papa Gasama, Gambia Grishea Gehead, Egypt Malang Diedhiou, Senegal
Club of the Year Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) MO Bejaia (Algeria) TP Mazembe (DR Congo) Zamalek (Egypt) Zesco United (Zambia)
Women’s National Team of the Year Cameroon Ghana Nigeria South Africa Zimbabwe
